Vocabulary Lessons
by b3cks
Summary: A collection of drabbles. Great if you want to learn big words by reading lotr fanfiction. Includes a variety of characters, such as Aragorn, Glorfindel, Elladan, Elrohir, Gandalf, Eowyn, Eomer, Arwen, Elrond, Pippin, Sam, Frodo, Erestor
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No, I am not Tolkien, Tolkien's publisher, or Tolkien reincarnated. My writing would be much better if I were.

Author's Note: I am in the middle of study vocabulary for the GRE and I got bored. This is the result. Constructive criticism is welcome and flames might make me cry.

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**Abscond** – to depart clandestinely, to steal off and hide

The elves crept stealthily toward their sleeping target. The first one caught the second's eye.

_Ready?_

The other one nodded.

The two warriors took aim… and fired.

Glorfindel jumped up after a dried pea ricocheted off his forehead. "Get back here you little orcs!" He shouted, but the twins had already absconded into the night.

**Aberrant** – deviating from the norm

"I'm staying, _Ada_ I am staying with Estel_._" Arwen looked into her father's eyes. Although he said nothing, she could see his heart was broken. However, Arwen had made her decision. She had chosen an aberrant fate: the fate of Luthien.

**Approbation** – expression of praise

"Ouch!" cried Pippin as the flat of Boromir's sword connected with his arm.

Boromir sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"I'll never get this right," Pippin slumped dejectedly.

"Never say never," Boromir admonished. "Now, let's try again."

Boromir and Pippin took up their swords. Boromir easily parried the hobbit's strokes, coaching and encouraging. He did not see the rock until he tripped over it and stumbled backwards. Pippin seized the opportunity and leapt at his opponent with a shockingly fierce battle cry. The hilt of his sword hit Boromir's elbow, and the man's weapon flew out of his grip.

Pippin was horrified when he realized what he had done. Boromir stood up, gingerly holding his elbow. Pippin readied himself for an angry lecture, instead he was awarded a smile and showered with approbation.

**Axiom** – self evident truth

"Mr. Strider sir?" puffed Sam as he breathlessly trotted after the Ranger.

"Yes, Sam," the man said without glancing back.

"I wanted to… that is to say…_we_ wanted to…were wondering if…perhaps…if it's not too much trouble, sir…"

Strider stopped jogging and turned to face the four hobbits. "Yes?"

Before Sam could blather on, Pippin interjected, "We were wondering if we could stop for tea sometime soon. It's already getting late and it's very uncomfortable to travel on an empty stomach."

"I'm afraid we don't have time to stop for tea," Strider turned to move.

"Why?" Pippin pressed.

"You are being hunted by nine of the deadliest creatures in Middle Earth, and you want to stop for tea?" Strider was incredulous.

"Of course, why wouldn't we?" The hobbits glanced at each other. Wherever hobbit were, whatever hobbits were doing, they always took a break for afternoon tea. It was axiomatic.

Strider shook his head and started jogging. The hobbits were forced to follow.

"Strange fellow," Pippin observed, and the others agreed.

**Capricious** – erradic, inclined to change one's mind impulsively

"Of all the options we were given, or not given rather, I believe taking the Ring to Mordor is the right one." Erestor said as he approached Aragorn.

Aragorn raised his eyebrow in a guesture he had learned from his _ada_. A few hours earlier Erestor had strongly advised against the "fools' quest."

"I know, Estel, that seems rather capricious of me, but my duty as an advisor is to point out different options and their flaws. This is a fools' quest, but that is why it may work. History is unkind to the wise: Nerdanel, Finrod, Gil-Galad. It is fools like Beren that have succeeded." He gently laid a hand on Aragorn's arm, "Besides, foolishness is not the only quality that accompanies the Fellowship. They travel with _Estel,_ with hope."

"If only that will be enough." Aragorn sighed.

**Chicanery** – trickery

After Smeagol brought fresh fish back to Sam and Master, he was allowed to hunt on his own. The fat hobbit grumbled, but as long as Smeagol brought food back for him to eat he was allowed to go.

Gollum would often join him, and they would plan while they hunted. They hoped their chicanery would work. They were both desparate to steal back The Precious.

Master did not suspect he was being betrayed.

**Connoisseur** – expert in the matters of taste

Eowyn inched closer to her brother. Although wild horses would not force her to admit it, she felt self-conscious is the crowded ballroom at Minas Tirith.

"Why do they look at me like that?" She asked Eomer, indicating a group of giggling young ladies.

"Perhaps it's your style of dress," suggested Eomer.

"What's wrong with how I'm dressed?"

Eomer began a list, "Your hair is worn down, not plaited or in a bun; you are wearing a green velvet dress instead of a blue flouncy one; and your shoes…"

"What's wrong with my shoes?" Eowyn asked sharply.

"Nothing, however the ladies of Minas Tirith do not wear riding boots on formal occasions," Eomer summed up and took a long sip from his tankard.

"I never knew you were such a connoisseur, dear brother," Eowyn said drily.

"I simply have an interest in Gondorian culture." Eomer winked at an exceptionally pretty lady walking past.

_Gondorian culture my foot, _thought Eowyn.

**Disabuse** – to undeceive

Elrond put his quill pen down when he heard a knock at his study door.

"Gandalf, I am relieved to see you. Do you have the Ring?" Elrond guided his guest to a chair.

Gandalf wearily sank into the chair. "Alas, no. I was…waylaid by Saruman." Gandalf poured himself a glass of mirouvor and gulped it down as if it were common ale.

Elrond chose to ignore the wizards lacking manners. Instead he asked, "What advice does Saruman give?"

"He believes we should cut a deal with Sauron and surrender the Ring."

Elrond cocked an eyebrow. Gandalf's wit annoyed him.

"I am not deceiving you. It is time you were disabused of Saruman's mask of friendship."

Elrond closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Tell me."

**Disparate** – distinct

"Ada! Nana! Come quickly! Elrohir fell out of a tree!"

Celebrian was jolted from her reading by Elladan's frenzied exclamation. She snapped her book closed and followed her husband outside. She saw Elrohir crumpled on the ground in tears.

Elrond reached him first and began to work as a healer. Celebrian had to cradle her elfling's head while her husband coaxed his hands from his face. Apparently, Elrohir was going to have a nasty black eye, but Elrond assured them all that he would recover.

It wasn't until dinner that Celebrian's heart resumed its normal rhythm. By then, Elrohir was fine, and quite proud of his wound.

Glorfindel leaned toward Elrond and said, "Peredhel, look on the bright side. Now, for a little while your identical sons are disparate."

Elrond did not laugh, but he glanced at his wife. Celebrian shot Glorfindel a look that would freeze a balrog.

Glorfindel mumbled an apology. _She must have learned that glare from her mother._

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Ada - Dad

Nana - Mom

Estel - Hope, Aragorn's elvish name


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Still not Tolkien.

AN: Soe of the dialogue for "Equivocate" was taken from the movie _Return of the King_.

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**Enervate** – to weaken

Sam caught Frodo as he stumbled forward in the dust.

"Steady there, Mr. Frodo. You wouldn't want to end up with a mouthful of dirt," said Sam. He glanced at Frodo and knew they were not going to travel any further that day.

Frodo was physically and mentally exhausted. His feet dragged, his shoulders slumped, and his eyes were slightly glazed over.

_The sooner we can destroy the Ring, the sooner things will get better,_ thought Sam.

However, that was the problem: every step toward Mordor enervated Frodo.

**Ennui** – restlessness caused by boredom

Eowyn groaned and snapped her book shut. This was the fifth time she had read it, and it did not improve with the repetition

Eomer was chasing orcs in the Westfold, Theodred was guarding the Isen river, and her uncle had not left his room in several days. There was nothing for her to do besides sew, cook, and evade Wormtongue.

If she was a man, she could fight alongside her brother, someone else would cook for her, and she could kill Wormtongue. Or at least maim him. Eowyn grinned at the thought.

Eowyn could no longer suffer the ennui. She escaped the hall with no one knowing. She was good at sneaking, the benefit of being stalked. She reached the field where the Rohirim soldiers trained with their broadswords. She approached the weapons rack, picked up a sword, tested its balance, and declared, "I'll bet any man a copper piece that I can beat him at swordplay."

The soldiers paused and looked at her. "And I'll do it while wearing a skirt."

**Equivocate – **use ambiguous language to deceive

Pippin marveled at the formidable city carved out of white rock. He was so very excited to be in Minas Tirith and so very relieved not to be riding a horse, that he almost forgot about Frodo, Mordor, and the War. Almost.

When they reached the Citadel, Pippin paused when he saw a familiar image.

"It's the tree, Gandalf. Gandalf!"

"Yes, the White Tree of Gondor, the tree of the King. Lord Denethor however is _not_ the king. He is a steward only. A caretaker of the throne," Gandalf replied. Gandalf stopped Pippin at the doors to the Citadel. He bent down and looked into the hobbit's eyes, "Listen carefully: Lord Denethor is Boromir's father. To give him news of his beloved son's death would be most unwise."

Pippin nodded sagely. Boromir had saved Pippin's life at the cost of his own.

Gandalf straightened up, then thought again and turned back, "And do not mention about Frodo or the Ring."

Pippin nodded again, this rule was obvious, almost patronizing.

"And say nothing of Aragorn either."

This rule did not make sense, but Pippin trusted Gandalf, so he nodded again.

Gandalf started to go through the tall double doors, but then he stopped again and looked at Pippin, "In fact, it's better if you don't speak at all, Peregrin Took."

"What if he asks me a question?" said Pippin.

"Make something up!" Gandalf said, becoming ruffled.

"But I'm not a very good liar. Everyone says so! Daisy, my second cousin on my father's side once said…"

"Enough! Fool of a Took! If you can't say something deceitful, don't say anything at all."

"In that case, may I equivocate?"

**Erudite** – scholarly, learned

Erestor paced in front of the desk in the open-air study. He was quizzing his two pupils from a thick volume in his hand.

"What year did Prince Feanor finish creating the Silmarils?" he asked. "Elladan," He glanced at the young elf.

"Feanor finished the Silmarils in 4950," said Elladan, pleasantly surprising his tutor. Elladan was a soldier, not a scholar. He detested history.

"How long was Maedhros held prisoner by Morgoth?" Erestor asked the twins.

"Seven years," Erestor was again surprised when Elladan spoke up with the correct answer. Elrohir snorted.

"What marked the end of the First Age?"

Elrohir opened his mouth to reply, but Elladan beat him to the answer, "The first rising of the moon." Elrohir muffled a laugh and his brother smacked him not-so-subtly.

Erestor knew the twins well enough to know when something was up. He closed his volume and looked at them. "You are quite…erudite today Elladan."

Elrohir snickered openly and Elladan turned red. "I've been…studying," he mumbled.

"With Nedieth!" gaffawed Elrohir.

Nedieth was one of Elrond's librarian's. Even though she was young, she was considered an expert of Feanoran history. She was also very beautiful.

Erestor sighed. Elrohir was unsuccessfully trying to evade his brother while reigning in his laughter. There would be no more history learned today, so Erestor decided to dismiss his class.

**Exculpate** – clear of blame

It was his fault.

Legolas surveyed the scene before him. A forest now covered much of the recent battlefield. Boulders and rubble were strewn around the once-impenetrable fortress of Helm's Deep. Bodies covered in black Urukhai steel, glistening Elven silver, and sturdy Rohirric chainmail lay intermingled. So much blood. So much death. So much devastation.

And it was his fault.

Legolas once again saw the Uruk torchbearer, sprinting toward the gap in the wall. He saw his arrow hit the beast, but it was not a kill-shot. It should have been. He was the finest archer in Greenwood, probably in Middle Earth. He could shoot a sparrow out of the sky, he could split an acorn as it fell to ground, and he could hit the eye of a charging warg. He had made many shots much more difficult than this one, but none that had mattered so much.

Perhaps there was nothing he could have done. Saruman's army would have found a way inside the fortress, whether or not he had hot his target.

Even so, he could not be exculpated. It was his fault.

**Exigent** – urgent

Denethor interrupted his sons' victory celebration. "Boromir, you are an excellent tactition. I am so proud of you!" He caught Faramir's eye and said, "Your men arrived late. Pathetic! If it wasn't for your brother's skill, this victory dance would be a funeral dirge." Faramir dipped his head. Denethor took Boromir aside to speak with him.

"Father! That's completely unfair! Faramir's company had to fight their way through a company of orcs. He fought bravely." Boromir defended his brother.

"Yes, yes," Denethor waved his hand in dismissal. "Right now I must speak to you about something much more exigent. Lord Elrond has called a council, and I want you there to represent us. It is rumored Isildur's Bane has been found."

Boromir was wary about what his father wanted. Had not Sauron's Ring been the cause of great suffering? But Boromir was not a scholar, he was a soldier. He would obey the Steward's wishes. Maybe his father was right after all. Maybe bringing the Ring to Gondor would be best. Whatever the case, it was his duty.

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Feanor - Elven prince from the First age

Silmaril - the jewel that Feanor created

Maedhros - Feanor's eldest son

Morgoth - Bad guy from the First Age, he was Sauron's boss


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